Katie slept on the way home in Beth's car. Rip parked beside them at the lodge, before lifting Katie out of the car.
"We're still getting the tree tonight." Beth told him as he sat down with Katie cuddling her to his chest.
Beth knew she was little but she looked tiny in Rip's arms with her head resting on his chest. He nodded acknowledging her, looking down mostly at Katie.
"We can take the horses?" Rip suggested seeing there was still light.
Beth groaned. "I'd rather fucking not."
"We'd be able to bring it back tonight if we do." He said knowing that would persuade her.
"Fine."
Rip transferred Katie to the couch and left to get two horses before bringing them up to the lodge. He got his own horse and Emmett's old mare that was gifted to Katie for Beth to ride.
He came up the porch steps as Beth and Katie came out with their own hats on, Katie still rubbing her eyes. She held her hands up to Rip ready to be put on her horse. Rip easily swung her up in to his arms before putting her on his own horse.
"I want to ride my horse."
"Mama is going to ride her. You can ride with me." He told her before helping Beth get on her own. Beth couldn't help but think Katie seemed to be nearly more comfortable on a horse than on the ground as she lent back in Rip's arms.
"It's got to be big enough to fill the living room." Beth said as they walked through the trees.
"For Christmas?" Katie called out.
"Mmmhm." Rip murmured. "Mama is going over the top with it."
"I heard that!" She retorted.
"I like that one!" Katie said pointing at what must have been at least a 13 foot tree.
"That's too big." Rip told her.
They kept walking until they came to a small clearing, getting of their horses. "That one there." Beth said taking Katie's hand to a 7 foot tree with plenty of branches to hang things from. Rip grabbed a saw, looking at the trunk before starting to cut it down.
"I want to do it!" Katie said.
"Come here then." She got closer to Rip who let her hold the saw before putting his hands over hers to cut it. The wood creaked signalling it had weakened and was likely to fall, Rip sent Katie over to Beth to finish the job before tying it up with rope so his horse could drag it. It was a bit of a slower ride back with the tree in tow. Rip told Lloyd and Walker to give him a hand putting it in my lodge while Beth organised dinner with Gator.
"Do we put the stuff on it tonight?" Katie asked Beth.
"We can. You need to have a bath and wash your hair first."
"That's a bloody heavy tree darling." Rip told her before telling Lloyd and Walker to take leftovers from Gator.
Beth ignored him. "Dinner is on the table. Come on Katie, bath."
She grizzled the entire duration of the bath despite the empty threats from Beth that they wouldn't decorate the tree. Beth was sure Katie could see right through it.
Beth dug through Katie's drawers until she found the pair of pyjamas she had been looking for. They were a cream long sleeve waffle top and pant set with chocolate brown cuffs. Reindeers printed on them in chocolate brown. "Go and see Daddy now." She told her while she cleaned up half the bath water that had made it outside the bathtub.
"What are you wearing cowgirl?" Rip asked looking at the Christmas pyjamas.
"New 'jamas. Mama got them."
Beth came down the hallway with her sleeves still rolled up and hair a bit of a mess.
"Really Beth. Christmas pyjamas?"
"What. She's cute in them."
Rip rolled his eyes but agreed. Beth got down on the floor with Katie sitting between her legs opening up the Christmas decorations while Rip watched.
Beth let Katie put most of the decorations on before realising that majority were going to only be at a certain height before the tree looked pretty empty. She slowly started taking some off to move them up high before Katie caught her.
"Hey! I put them down there."
"I know but the tree needs some up here."
"I can't reach there."
"I got it." Rip said getting up and putting Katie on his shoulders. Beth passed Katie baubles and bits of tinsel to decorate the tree from Rip's shoulders.
"This one goes right at the top." Beth told Katie giving her the star. Rip lifted her from his shoulders holding her in the air so she could reach further before she managed to get it to stay on a branch, albeit wonky.
He put Katie back on the ground, as she looked up at the tree. Beth untangled the lights passing them to Rip who walked around the tree putting them in place.
Beth turned them on watching Katie for her reactions.
"That's fucking good." Katie said. Beth was shocked and Rip couldn't help but laugh.
"Rip." Beth said cutting his fun short.
"Beth, she learnt that from you."
"Katie Bethany, you do not say that word."
"Fucking." Katie said again making Rip grin.
"Hey!" Beth said trying to remain serious.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, bloody fuck." Katie said dancing around the living room.
"Oh that's not all me." Beth told Rip.
John happened to walk in as Katie was parading herself around the lounge room. "What's going on?"
Katie stopped looking at John. "We got a tree. It looks fucking great."
Beth had lost it at this point now also laughing with Rip. "Baby we don't say that word."
Katie scrunched her face before shrugging, not bothered. "You and Teeter say it and so does Grandpas other lady." Referring to Summer.
"Your Mama said no Katie." Rip told her with a serious face.
"Rip, how's the preparation going with the cattle?" John asked.
Beth interjected before Rip could get a word in. "Not tonight Daddy. Not with her here."
"We'll talk later then." John said sitting in an armchair.
Beth grabbed the photos form earlier from her handbag, opening the envelope. She went through them smirking at the scowl on Katie's face before putting them on the mantle.
"Dad! Catch me!" Katie said standing and jumping from the back of the couch, Rip just managing to get an arm around her before she hit the ground. He easily swung her up high before throwing her in the air.
"Again! Again!" She squealed. Rip always obliging.
"You use to be like that too." John said reminiscing.
"Don't get lost in there." She told him. "Rip, don't rile her up, it's nearly bedtime."
He caught her giving her a cuddle before telling her once more before sitting down to calm her down. He cheeks were now rosy and she was puffing from laughing.
"If she doesn't go down, you can deal with it." Beth told him passing Katie some warm milk. She wriggled around settling for a short while next to Rip before getting up with her milk to sit with Beth.
Beth uncrossed her legs after Katie pushed against her so she had room to sit before cuddling in to Beth's front as she had so many times before. Beth stroked Katie's damp hair while she calmed down from the days events. Katie reach back to Beth with the now empty glass for her to take before getting off Beth's lap.
"Where you going?" Rip asked watching her walk away.
"Bed time."
Beth raised an eyebrow. Katie had never been one to go to bed easily, let alone take herself. She usually had a story and wanted a second.
"What the hell did you put in that milk?" John asked. "Damn kid didn't do that when I had her here."
"Nothing actually."
Rip stood taking Katie hand to her own room. "Goodnight Daddy." Beth said squeezing John's shoulder, following her own family.